Transportinfo.org.uk - today's transport news in the uk, hand picked for you each morning

Thursday, 03 December 2020

BBC News

• Swanage Railway: Cash boost to revisit heritage line link planA volunteer-run heritage railway has been awarded £50,000 to look at reinstating services to the mainline. Swanage Railway in Dorset is to conduct a fresh feasibility study in the hope of running regular connecting trains.
• Hull Trains services to London restart as Covid-19 lockdown endsA train company is restarting daily services to London following the lifting of the national lockdown. Hull Trains had suspended its daily services to London for the second time on 5 November due to the coronavirus pandemic.
• Cardiff Airport: Wizz Air base to create 40 new jobsBudget airline Wizz Air is making Cardiff Airport its fourth UK base with flights to Europe.
• EasyJet to charge for overhead luggage lockersCustomers who want to use overhead storage must buy more expensive tickets, the airline says.

Department for Transport

• £29 million to be invested in Stoke-on-Trent’s transport networkFunding given on works around Stoke-on-Trent and Longton train stations, new cycling and walking schemes plus upgrades to city centre bus station.
• Train takes the strain as huge aggregate haul avoids village roadsLLW Repository Ltd (LLWR) share successful rail delivery lessons with Sellafield colleagues.

The Telegraph

• Rail firms consider volunteer marshals to monitor Christmas social distancing [Subscription]Concerns that narrow five-day travel window and reduced train services could see carriages and platforms become crowded
• Virgin Atlantic: Passenger planes will be used to transport Covid vaccine [subscription]'While everybody would love to fill every inch of a cargo hold with vaccine, unfortunately it’s not quite that simple'

Times Online

• Norman Foster pulls out of climate pact over Saudi airport rowThe British architect Norman Foster has withdrawn his firm from an industry commitment on climate change after a dispute over his work on big new airports.
• Half of bridges on England’s busiest roads in ‘poor condition’ [subscription]Nearly half the bridges on England’s busiest roads have key sections in a poor or very poor condition, prompting concerns about traffic chaos while vital repairs are carried out.
• Pricing of electric-car chargers investigated [subscription]Drivers must not be ripped off by the growing public network of electric-car chargers, according to the competition watchdog.

Birmingham Post

• HS2 reveals first images and video of Warwickshire tunnel siteNew imagery shows vast site where tunnel will be built under Long Itchington Wood to allow high-speed rail service to pass through north Warwickshire

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• New campaign urges people to wear masks on public transportTHE West Yorkshire Bus Alliance have launched a new campaign urging people to wear a face covering both on board public transport and in Bus Stations and transport hubs across the region.

Bristol Live

• Bristol Airport expansion "still needed" after Covid recoveryThe transport hub expects to see 12million annual passengers by 2030 - four years later than the previous forecast

London Evening Standard

• Extinction Rebellion in last-ditch protest to stop cycle lane from being ripped up in west LondonExtinction Rebellion activists have tried to block a cycle lane from being removed on a busy road in west London following a backlash over the plans.

Wales Online

• Budget airline launching nine new routes from Cardiff AirportWizz Air has announced it will bring nine new routes to Cardiff Airport, creating 40 jobs

Kent Online

• Demolition of Chart Leacon railway works in Ashford continues as main workshop taken downDemolition of a disused railway works to make room for a new train maintenance facility is progressing at pace.

Other Regional Press

• Setback for Manston Airport plansThe Government has admitted the transport secretary failed to give adequate reasons for approving plans to reopen Manston as an airport.
• King’s Dyke £32 million transport scheme ‘reached two months ahead of schedule’The £32 million King’s Dyke transport scheme in Whittlesey has reached a “key milestone” early - “two months ahead of schedule”.
• Senedd Committee calls for Deeside ‘Red Route’ to be paused and Transport Minister to redo ‘his sums’Climate campaigners opposed the construction of a new four lane highway across ancient Flintshire woodland have welcomed the outcome of 18 months of deliberations by the Senedd Petitions Committee.
• Transport for Wales trains being built by CAF and StadlerTHE creation of new trains for the South Wales Metro and the Wales and Borders network is under way.

Business Live

• Setback to East Riding rail restoration bid criticised by councillorsCampaigners want to restore the line between Beverley and York but the project has not won Government backing
• Wales travel rules will now be announced tomorrow by Welsh Government The Welsh Government will announce new travel rules for Wales tomorrow. The cabinet met today to decide on new travel restrictions within Wales and also what border rules will be in place.
• Transport for Wales' new trains on track despite Covid-19 challengesTfW is investing £800m into new trains and tram-trains for its Wales and Borders network

New Civil Engineer

• TfL brings in Wood as transport plannerEngineering firm Wood has been appointed by Transport for London (TfL) for services under its Transport Planning & Impact Monitoring (including Health and Safety and Environmental) Services Framework.
• HS2 | Midlands site takes shape ahead of tunnelling beneath ancient woodland One of High Speed 2’s (HS2’s) largest construction sites is beginning to take shape, ahead of tunnelling in the area.
• Crossrail begins train testing after blockade gets central section up to speedCrossrail is to begin systems integration dynamic testing (SIDT) on the central section of the network today.
• Watch: How HS2 contractors are remodelling Birmingham’s regional road networkThis session explores the remodelling of regional road networks to improve the circulation of traffic and connecting existing road networks to the HS2 railway.

Rail Advent

• Transport for Wales to light up HQ as part of #PurpleLightUpTransport for Wales will be lighting up their HQ this Thursday with purple lighting to represent Wales in a global broadcast to celebrate disability inclusion.

Other News Sources

• Why sustainable transport and community engagement go hand-in-handLocal councils and their residents can reap great rewards – for health, wellbeing, inclusion and economic development – by engaging communities with public transport and active travel development, writes Jools Townsend, the Community Rail Network’s chief executive.
• Welsh are worst for not wearing masks on public transport, says surveyDespite rapidly rising Covid-19 cases and strict government guidance, new data reveals that over a quarter of the British public are still refusing to wear a mask when on public transport.
• Autonomous buses to be trialled in GermanyThe Karlsruher Institute for Technology has confirmed that the autonomous buses will be trialled in Mannheim and Friedrichshafen, before other suitable sites in the state are located.
• Aberdeenshire transport officer recognised with award for cycle safety workA transport safety education officer at Aberdeenshire Council, who has dedicated herself to supporting more than 25,000 children to develop on-road cycling skills, has been presented with a special accolade.
• Critical Crossrail staff kept apart to ensure late-running job not hit with covid delaysMeasures put in place to make sure entire teams are not struck down at once with virus
• Worcestershire Parkway 'a complete waste of money'TRAVEL by rail and road has featured heavily on the Worcester News letters page recently.